What "man jobs" have you done today?

Well - who else has been hit round the head by Sod's law.
Did a job today as I finally found a Round To it in tool box.
Stuck a piece of architrave up the outside edge of porch to hide rubbish mastic fitter did and it went fine.
By now I needed a pee so off i go -finish and press flush button - Hmmm that seemed a bit stiff so did it again and ping - The cable on flush button popped of.
Took lid off and couldn't see anything wrong except cable off button. Put it on and same thing. Oh golly gosh (posh version) had a look but couldn't see anything obvious - So built myself up to have a go and isolator valve just behind the pan would not cooperate.
Could i turn it off - I had put it on about 1/2" too far to left and couldn't get screwdriver blade on square.
So now got a big job on hand. Fortunatly I did fit a isolater in loft for bathroom cold and hot water.

I am now sitting here real peed off and on my seconf glass of brandy.

Just what I didn't want .
 
Started taking out an old cupboard that was built as a stud wall. Found they had actually knocked out a few bricks to push the end of the concrete blocks in so there are no bricks in the cavity wall I share with next door, 1ish brick wide and about 3 bricks high in a straight rectangle.

I don't have any tools for cutting masonry so chain drilled a couple at the bottom and hit out with the chisel by hand before setting bottom 2 new bricks in mortar.

I need some bits to make the rest go faster it took 3 hours to knock out and replace 2 bricks today because I didn't want to damage any more bricks or potentially make a massive hole. I'm not sure whether to get an angle grinder, or a circular saw (I have neither), or some masonry bits for the multi tool I have. Any suggestions from folks who have ended up having to replace broken part bricks in an existing cavity wall?
 
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Washed the bathroom
Cut lawn
Pruned
Weeded
Put a new clock on the wall
Adjusted pond filter trigger
Put some shielding tape on the inside of the guitar tube amp - so it's quieter at full volume now.
 
Boarded out the nursery room cupboard. Such a shag of a job. Took as long as a big job, and as many tools. I need one more trimmer to close up the roof. Ended up using IPB with recess for the pipes/cables; and then a diagonal MDF board stuffed with rockwool for the top (it is a hipped roof anyway). I also fitted the new hinges for the top cupboard, too.

Just need to paint, cut some shelves, and fit a rail. Going to strategically fit shelf holders where the IPB joins are so I don't have to tape and joint :cry: :cool:

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What a PITA - Couldn't turn off the isolating valve to the loo so fitted a new one - Considering I can't see very well at close things and fingers that don't take instructions from the brain I am pleased it went so well.
Not a lot of room to work in and almost one of those jobs where you hang by a rope hooked on ceiling.
So far so good -not a spot of water yet.

Never ever forget to put isolation valves with levers where ever you can. (not cheap ones either) Just checked all mine under sink and all work a treat.
Those that you use a screwdriver no chance. I have a 3/4" one in garage that is seized that isolates the boiler -solid - can't move it.

That gap is 6"
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Glad it went well for you and it looks a real neat job.
As for valves, I agree get the good quality ones. However, even the better quality ones aren't that great. Obviously they are using poor quality Chinesium these days
 
There does seem to be a huge difference between that one at £9.50 and cheap tradsman I also bought at 2.99. The expensive one is slightly longer than the existing one so got two incase expensive one would't fit. Just past that valve the copper pipe goes to a flexi into cystern.
Still no signs of leak. Pheeew
 
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DXP55 said:
What a PITA - Couldn't turn off the isolating valve to the loo so fitted a new one - Considering I can't see very well at close things and fingers that don't take instructions from the brain I am pleased it went so well.
Not a lot of room to work in and almost one of those jobs where you hang by a rope hooked on ceiling.
So far so good -not a spot of water yet.

Never ever forget to put isolation valves with levers where ever you can. (not cheap ones either) Just checked all mine under sink and all work a treat.
Those that you use a screwdriver no chance. I have a 3/4" one in garage that is seized that isolates the boiler -solid - can't move it.

That gap is 6"
Click to expand...

Personally, I would have used a JG speed fit isolation valve. 30 seconds to fit once you had the one one off. Less money for the jar.
 
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Never bothered with isolations myself. It isn't that much of an inconvenience to knock off water when a job is on, and it's less points of failure. I guess if I had a fault that was going to last more than a few mins I'm screwed tho.

I have massive 22mm levers in the attic for the whole bathroom which is useful. Downstairs I just turn off the main stop tap.
 
dlockers said:
Never bothered with isolations myself. It isn't that much of an inconvenience to knock off water when a job is on, and it's less points of failure. I guess if I had a fault that was going to last more than a few mins I'm screwed tho.

I have massive 22mm levers in the attic for the whole bathroom which is useful. Downstairs I just turn off the main stop tap.
Click to expand...
I had to turn the water off and then drain every tap -That was a PITA - after all that I unscrewed the nut on isolation tap and a bowl of water came out - Thumb over pipe -tip foil tin of water into bog -repeat repeat. If I could have turned off the tap -no water - no mess -one wet towel instead of 6 - Also not draining the system you don't have all the air bubbles after you turn it back on.
each to our own.
The other thing that came to mind was if i started again i would fit drain tap at lowest point with pipe to outside.
 
Finally went out and bought a replacement tool organiser system (current toolbox is looking worse for wear). As I just DIY/want something to keep everything together in the house I went for the Magnusson Stakkur, have to say i'm quite impressed for the price (£99)
 
48.8 today, solcast updated overnight to predict 49.43 today, up from about 44. Still slightly below but not bad and it was very sunny all morning.

39.3 exported.
 
Today I mowed the lawn - always fun with a spinal injury, but even more so with a stonking hangover (Date Night last night - I rarely drink, but we needed some Husband & Wife time).





Busy week ahead as we prepare the ground floor for the ceilings to be ripped out (asbestos).
Booked 5 nights at Château Des Grandparents for myself and the girls; The Boss & our son will stay home - so she can sort the animals/supervise and he doesn't have to lug his PC to my folk's place (or worry about my Mother's rules)...

Tomorrow I've got a 500 mile round trip to pick up some flooring from Liverpool - if I can do it in one day, I will; but likely I'll pop over to Manchester and stay overnight with friends. We're taking the opportunity whilst the lounge/kitchen/diner is empty to replace/re-lay the laminate we slapped down when we moved in - this time I'm paying the guy who did my study. Grabbed an absolute bargain off eBay (31 packs for £370 - about 85% off RRP!)



Then we need to pick a new sofa - pretty sure it'll be a 2 seat & 3 seat recliner. Had a fantastic bit of luck in the casino last night, so it'll be fun to pick something without worrying about sticking to a strict budget, for once...



 
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RedMogg said:
Today I mowed the lawn - always fun with a spinal injury, but even more so with a stonking hangover (Date Night last night - I rarely drink, but we needed some Husband & Wife time).





Busy week ahead as we prepare the ground floor for the ceilings to be ripped out (asbestos).
Booked 5 nights at Château Des Grandparents for myself and the girls; The Boss & our son will stay home - so she can sort the animals/supervise and he doesn't have to lug his PC to my folk's place (or worry about my Mother's rules)...

Tomorrow I've got a 900 mile round trip to pick up some flooring from Liverpool - if I can do it in one day, I will; but likely I'll pop over to Manchester and stay overnight with friends. We're taking the opportunity whilst the lounge/kitchen/diner is empty to replace/re-lay the laminate we slapped down when we moved in - this time I'm paying the guy who did my study. Grabbed an absolute bargain off eBay (31 packs for £370 - about 85% off RRP!)



Then we need to pick a new sofa - pretty sure it'll be a 2 seat & 3 seat recliner. Had a fantastic bit of luck in the casino last night, so it'll be fun to pick something without worrying about sticking to a strict budget, for once...



Click to expand...
Haha mega well done fella!
 
does flushing watercooling radiators count? Took me almost half a day clearing the crap out of 3... oh and cleaning weeds/old leaves from the garden
 
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My last robot mower (£250) second hand lasted just over 4 years, didn't really look after it and the base electric circuit died due to snail attack.
Got the cheapest I can find (Amazon returns/warehouse) and made a garage for it to keep the water out and this time I will remember to take it indoor over winter months!

Garage built with free recycle pallet and what remains of a fence panel which fell and then discarded, next job is to built a door and add some RGB lighting for a fast and furious garage



 
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